[2] In 1959 United manager Andy McCall (their fifth in less than five years), resigned after leading the part-time club to third bottom place in Division Two.
He also insisted that there had to be a properly constituted reserve side and an end to the previous policy of buying in over-the-hill First Division players.
Other players to flourish like defensive giant Ron Yeats were the forward pair Gillespie and Irvine scoring 21 and 23 goals respectively.
Irvine's striking partnership with Gillespie provided more than 150 goals as they consolidated a position in the Scottish top flight over the following seasons.
At the end of the 1963-64 season, Middlesbrough manager Raich Carter bid £25,000 for Irvine's services and he moved to Teesside.
Irvine was reinstated to Scottish junior football in 1973, signing for West Lothian club New Blackburn Athletic.
[2] His son Alan Irvine played professionally for many clubs including Falkirk, Liverpool, Dundee United, Shrewsbury Town and St Mirren in the 1980s and 90s.